1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a robot cleaner and its operating method, and more particularly, to a robot cleaner and its operating method capable of smoothly performing a cleaning operation by properly taking a step when the cleaner abnormally travels because of an obstacle or the like while cleaning with self-moving.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, a robot cleaner is a machine that detects a cleaning zone by itself, an obstacle or the like without operation of a user, cleans while moving by itself, moves to a charging station by itself when power of a battery is consumed, to be charged, and returns to a cleaning zone when the charging is completed, to perform a cleaning operation.
A conventional robot cleaner comprises a suction unit for sucking dirt on a floor; a driving wheel connected to a driving motor in order to move the robot cleaner in a moving direction; a plurality of auxiliary wheels for supporting the cleaner on the floor; a navigation sensor for determining positions of cleaner, obstacles and the like; and a control unit for automatically controlling a cleaner. Such a cleaner performs a cleaning operation by moving according to a preset pattern, and an encoder connected to the driving wheel detects a rotation state of the driving wheel to thereby determine a traveling state of the cleaner.
However, the conventional robot cleaner has following problem.
Even when the conventional robot cleaner does not normally travel due to an obstacle or the like while cleaning or moving, since the driving wheel is slidingly rotated on the floor, the encoder recognizes that a rotation of the driving wheel is normal, and the control unit also determines that the cleaner is normally operated. Accordingly, it is impossible to take a step for abnormal traveling of the cleaner, whereby a cleaning operation is not properly performed.